Monday, September 28, 2015

What Are The Health Effects Of Haze in Singapore?

Singapore is
not considered to have its own climate cycle. It does not enjoy the four basic
seasons in extremities. However, people often joke about the cities having
their own four seasons, namely hot, flood, wet and haze. While flood is only
localized to some parts of the island, you can not escape the haze when it hits
hard.

Haze
problems in Singapore are mostly caused by winds which bring in smoke from
forest fires in Sumatra. Most of the time, this occurs during the period
between May and October. According to authorities in the Southeast Asia region,
there have been many efforts to combat this problem, and make sure it does not
cause any harm to humans and the environment.

However, for
the time being, it seems haze will remain an annual event for some time in the
future. In simple terms, it is a basic atmospheric condition where smoke,
particles, moisture and dust remain suspended in the air and obscure
visibility. Some common sources of this problem include industrial activities,
power plants, farming practices and traffic. Increasing pollution has been one
of the major causes of this problem in Singapore.

Short Term Health Effects of Haze
When it
comes to healthy individuals, relatively short term exposure or persistent
exposure to unhealthy average PSI levels over a short period can cause some
mild side effects. Exposure to high levels may be more serious, and cause
irritation of the nose, throat and eyes. In most cases, such irritation easily
resolve on its own.

Haze
particles can easily affect the lungs and heart, especially in individuals
who’re already suffering from a chronic lung disease or heart condition. Some
of these conditions may include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart
failure or asthma. Before you experience any symptoms because of exposure, you
may have to wait for about 1-3 days.

Long Term Health Effects of Haze
It is
important to understand that most Southeast Asian countries are not affected by
haze throughout the year. Singapore is one of them. Therefore, any exposure to
particles is short term in nature. In other words, continuous exposure to
unhealthy average PSI levels over a few days is always considered to be short
term exposure in Singapore. However, it may vary from one year to another.

When it
comes to International studies, long term exposure to air pollution can not be
discussed without comprehensive data and long term effects to exposure. Some of
the data obtained from these studies has been discussed below.

According to
Studies, people living overseas experiencing continuous exposure over several
years to high air pollution from fine particles may have a higher risk of
cardiovascular problems like heart attacks.

In addition
to this, they may also experience the development of some chronic respiratory
diseases like asthma, and reduced lung development.

Experts
believe that dangerous levels are reached when particulate matter smaller than
2.5 micrometres is persistently inhaled over a period of few months.

Which Groups of People are More Sensitive?

According to
most studies and researches, elderly, children and people suffering from heart
disease or chronic lung disease are more sensitive to short term health effects
of haze. As a result, these people should adopt certain preventive measures in
the health advisory issued by the Ministry of Health. This advisory offers some
solutions to tackle the poor air quality.

People
who’re more prone to being affected by haze should also consult their doctors.
In case you experience breathing difficulties, you should consult a medical
professional immediately. In addition to this, it is also advised that pregnant
women have reduced exposure to haze. It prevents the health of the unborn baby.

The various
health effects of this problem are dependent on a person’s health status,
preexisting medical conditions, the PSI level, intensity of outdoor activity
and duration of activity. There are also some other factors which affect the
sensitivity to haze.

Reducing the
physical exertion and outdoor activities can easily help limit the severe
effects of haze exposure. People who’re suffering from an illness or not
feeling too well, especially the children and elderly should seek medical
attention. Although most people don’t realize it, haze can cause some serious
health problems. Therefore, it is important to take necessary precautions and
protect yourself from the ill effects.